EVERYTHING TO BE DISCUSSED AFTER THE SESSION OF THE COUNCIL
Lilit Poghosyan
Hayots Ashkhar Daily
09 Sep 2008
Armenia
Yesterday was the first day of the National Assembly’s fall session
which is going to last four days. The session started as usual,
without extraordinary incidents, within the frames of everyday agenda
discussions.
Whereas the previous day’s statement published by the RPA Executive
Body on the "inexpediency" of NA Speaker Tigran Torosyan’s remaining
in office implied a stormy, if not a scandalous start.
The thing is that Tigran Torosyan has said on different occasions,
(both in a public manner and in private interviews) that he has
no intention to resign from post and hand over his duties to newly
elected MP Hovik Abrahamyan, former Head of the Presidential staff.
Announcing the start of the session, the NA Speaker actually reiterated
his attitude. He didn’t hand in his resignation and didn’t absolutely
touch upon the decision adopted on the level of the party’s Executive
Body.
Moreover, answering the questions of the journalists during the
break, he stated once again that his approach with regard to the
NA "chairmanship" remained unchanged. Mr. Torosyan avoided making
assessments and comments in this connection. Below, we present some
"episodes" from the interview with the NA Speaker.
"Mr. Torosyan, what’s your attitude towards the statement adopted
during the session of the Executive Body?"
"I believe it’s clear to you what my attitude was during the session. I
don’t want to make any comments on the decision of the Executive Body
because such decisions should be approved during the session of the
Council of the party. This is what is required by the regulations.
The issue was discussed during the session of the Executive Body,
and a proposal was made to convene a council session on September
16. This is the procedure, and there is no point in discussing anything
before that."
"Some of your colleagues are sure that you will submit a notice on
resigning from post, and others, on the contrary, are sure that you
will not hand in resignation. What will be your steps? Will you submit
a notice on your resignation before September 16 or not?"
"I said I have no desire to make any comments before the session
of the Council. The party’s work has its procedure. As soon as the
procedure is over, I will express my opinion, make my comments and
answer any question you may ask."
"Has the Executive Body advanced a proposal or has it made a decision
on the inexpediency of your remaining in office."
"The Executive Body cannot propose solutions. Under the regulations
of the party, the Council approves the decisions of the Executive B
ody. This is the issue. That’s to say, the approval of the Council
is required for the decision to become final."
"There are rumors that you are going to be appointed as the Ambassador
of Armenia in France. Do you agree to such ‘castling’?"
"I believe you are not the President of the Republic to make proposals
and see whether or not I will agree to them. All kinds of absurd
rumors and articles have been circulating during the recent months;
I don’t want to make any comments on them."
"Don’t you feel offended that your party members have decided to
‘surrender’ you?"
"We have worked together in this hall for 9 years. I believe you
have seen how patient I am. That patience will suffice me to wait
till the session of the Council and then make my comments."
"Do you imagine yourself in the role of an ordinary MP?"
"When I came to the Parliament in 1999, I was offered to hold
ministerial office. I refused the offer, and before being elected to
the post of the NA Vice Speaker, I was an ordinary MP for some time,
and I should say I didn’t feel bad at all."
"Have you met with the President of the Republic recently? If yes,
what questions did you discuss?"
"Of course, I have met with him. We have discussed various
issues concerning20the activities of the National Assembly, the
Armenian-Turkish relations, the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly and the
Nagorno Karabakh conflict. We have discussed all the problems existing
in our country, and such discussions took place more than once."